India Rides the High Horse – Must Sri Lanka Cower in Fear?
Posted on June 25th, 2012
R Chandrasoma
We face difficult times not only on account of the turmoil and mortifying turn of events overseas but also from a strange chorus of denunciators of the home-grown kind. A section of the influential ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”English Print MediaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ has – with great persistence and unflagging zeal – thought it fit to portray our country as a moral swampland teeming with debased and immoral upstarts who have usurped the leadership that truly belongs to the righteous of Sri Lanka. The unsophisticated ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and those outside our country – may be pardoned for believing that all this is true ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that girls are routinely molested, women raped, worthy citizens robbed and hundreds unnamed abuducted in unmarked White Vans and dispatched to the land from which no one returns. To this gory scenario must be added the charge that the High Rulers are corrupt devils clinging to power while the masses yearn for a return to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”good daysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Joining this litany of woes plaguing our unfortunate country is the Dengue Epidemic and the slaughter of good citizens on our crazy roadways.
So the story goes. Moving about in the Metropolis – and in the hinterland – we see no signs of the alarming decadence that the Media Pundits crow about raucously. At no time since Independence from British rule has the mass of our native population been freer, healthier and blessed with the good things of life. This does not mean that we live fulfilled lives or that life is worth the burdens it entails. These are metaphysical issues on which editorialists are very far from being competent.
What must be roundly condemned is theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alarming ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ideology-driven constructƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the state of our country by influential ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”actorsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in the Lankan Drama. Is it surprising that our haughty neighbor to the North demands from our leaders a guarantee that their Tamil Brethren in the North and East be protected under a Law that they deem sufficient? That Sri Lanka gives guarantees to the Local Super-Power that the violence and disorder that are supposedly features of Lankan Society do not sully the pristine goodness of Tamil Society? To this hilarious indictment, a biblical quotation is surely appropriate? ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The land of India is a cauldron of misery, social injustice and corruption. That this chaotic and feckless land – where a rich minority scorns the poor and dispossed, where there are more cell-phones than latrines and where social injustice is ineradicably rooted in its history and religion ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” should give us advice on how to deal with the Tamils that have lived with us for a thousand years or moreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is laughable. However, Big Brother carries a Big Stick and is cozy with the Great White Powers. We are threatened ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” not advised. Must we be cowed? Must our leaders use deceit and metaphor when dealing with the Indian Threat?
The plain truth is that far from the Sri Lankan Government mistreating the Tamils, the latter are brazenly exploiting a maudlin ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”blood-linkƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢with the multifarious tribes of India to forward a separatist agenda. India, in its turn seeks to destabilize Sri Lanka in accord with the schemes of its new-found Western Allies. That we are in a situation that calls for high political and diplomatic skills is undeniable. However, to quail before a resurgent separatism and to be abjectly compliant in the face of Indian threats is a stance that no patriotic citizen of Lanka will endorse.
June 25th, 2012 at 8:48 pm
India was always behind the Tamil Elam campaign. Like Bangladesh was separated from Pakistan India plans to separate “Tamil Elam” from Sri Lanka. After the Bengali separation from Pakistan, it actually quelled the West Bengal (Indian state) separatism. It is better for Tamil Nadu to remain with India which is the 4th largest economy and the 6th military power. Hindu identity and cultural similarities and external threats make it better for Tamil Nadu to remain as it is. They want to take Tamil as a nation to the international arena subject to that so they can have the best of both worlds. That is why the creation of Tamil Elam will not harm India but benefit it. DMK and AIADMK will have a little nation to rule through proxies and they will be happy and loyal to India for it.
It is no surprise India tolerates TESO which will hold a global summit on August 5th where they will discuss how to achieve Tamil Elam. DMK leader made many racist and undiplomatic comments against Sri Lanka but India stands by him.
Sensing the 1987 military operation would end its tool – LTTE – India intervened with the Indo Lanka Peace Accord which is still valid (not officially annulled yet).
India is also behind the assassinations of more pro-Chinese leaders (than others) including Bandaranaike and Premadasa.
Human rights, R2P nonsense are a very old story used to create an excuse to invade.
Ceylon Government Gazette, 17th February 1815 – [Quote] We have sent a retributive force to invade Kandy and liberate those long-suffering people. Our war aim is the liberation of the Ceylonese people. We cannot negotiate with the King because he might kill our messengers – we have to fight him. [Unquote]
June 25th, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Led by spineless politicians with a Ahei Hamuduruwane mentality, who have allowed India to economically dominate sri lanka, allow the energy needs to be gradually acquired by India, Allowe sri lankan land to be sold, Who has allowed indians to get employment in SL whilst sending ours to the middle East to slavery etc this behaviour of India is not surprising.
June 26th, 2012 at 3:50 am
Ref:should give us advice on how to deal with the Tamils that have lived with us for a thousand years or more is laughable
R Chandrasoma- We both community Lankan have failed last thousand of years live together !!!
so why not get threatened by Big Brother to solve our problm forever for change !!!
(Big Brother carries a Big Stick and is cozy with the Great White Powers. We are threatened – not advised)
We are lanka Puthas (Puthalvarkal) !!!!
June 26th, 2012 at 7:27 am
India can kiss-up to her new masters: Obama and Clinton…. Sri Lanka has the real superpowers, China and Russia behind her. Soon India will be swarming with US army bases.., – wonder what the hallucinating karunanidhi will bark then.
June 26th, 2012 at 8:38 am
There is a Buddhist Jataka story to the effect that a member of a certain family did not believe news of a misfortune to one of his/her loved ones because that family always lived according to the highest ethics and no harm, illness, pain or violence occur to such people and society. So according to this writer’s account of the present Sri Lankan affairs and standings no outsider, regardless of how powerful he/she is will not be able to sway the determination of the people and its righteous government because historically those societies who adhere to principles, hard, productive and honest work always prosper and become economically independent
June 26th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Neither India nor USA have any love for Tamils and in fact India rejected the return of Indian Tamil citizens brought to work on plantations in SriLanka by the British. Eventually on humanitarian grounds, Sri Lanka granted SriLankan citizenship to millions of these hapless stateless Indian Tamils who at the time had a right to gain either Indian or British citizenship.
However, India, now under the guidance of their new Masters, the US, would continue to mislead Tamils and use them to suppress SriLanka’s economic progress and might even try to annex the North and the East, if the two provinces are merged and devolution under Indian drafted 13A is accepted by SriLanka for implementation.
India is guilty of destroying the proud culture of the Jaffna Tamil society, by initiating an unwanted and debilitating conflict through infiltration of the North and East with tamil terrorists and their own IPKF. Jaffna Tamils have not forgotten this and that is why the TNA failed to get even 15% of the eligible votes at the last elections, though the voters were still scarred by Prabakaran’s ghastly rule, and were scared to vote for any political party that was not endorsed by the dead leader.